Indians are passionate about brands: Terry Peigh, Interpublic Group

Under New Realities, a global research study IPG partnered by FCB Cogito in India, has brought out how passionate and keen Indian consumers are in seeking, using and sharing information about brands and categories.

“In fact, they are the most passionate in this respect, within the world that we studied. It is certainly something the Indian marketers need to take cognizance of,” noted Terry Peigh, Managing Director, Interpublic Group, while presenting the results of the study.

The research is being conducted for the last six years in India and focuses on the influence of new media, new sources of product information, and the changing nature of consumer decision making. This year’s study in India (the fourth wave of tracking) provides very important information and insight on the how digital is changing consumer behaviour, diving deep and reckoning the trends, trajectory, pattern, influences, impact on the behaviour and the end-result of making a choice.

The study said the young Indian consumer segment strongly supports this behaviour.

The methodology includes the study fields quantitative research in several countries, including China, US, England, India, Brazil, South Africa and Russia. A country vs country comparison is made, and consumer changes are studied over time in a particular country to reach the end-result. Over 600 online interviews (per country) were conducted in seven countries, as a part of the study.

The insights highlight the various touch points in the consumer journey that are pivotal in studying consumer behaviour:

*Consumer like and dislike to learning about products

*Their interest in advocating and telling others about products

*Their level of frustration and confusion with product information

*The social value they get from such information

*The new role of brands and brand names

*The relative importance of various media in helping them make a product decision

Particular to India, the study provides a unique window into the consumer behaviour pattern. It aims to understand the evolving consumer to ascertain the new market realities for Indian marketers.

A few interesting insights about Indian consumers from the study:

*Digital revolution has shown us a totally different path to user delight that doesn’t even need much money

*Where do consumers turn for trusted information in the digital era

*Role of advocacy in social media

*The percentage of marketers now using the influencer channel as a part of the marketing plan

Market (region) centric insights

*Key markets that are influenced by peer feedback on digital media. An important consumer behaviour trait

*Markets where consumers derive the greatest joy and fulfilment from researching about products online

*Markets displaying an individual’s knowledge about brands becoming a new social currency

*Assessment of media value across markets on influencer marketing campaigns.

Peigh further said, “The data from this year’s IPG/Cogito research in India are especially interesting and valuable for today’s marketers. They clearly show how India leads all countries studied when it comes to consumers feeling valued by friends for their knowledge about products; in leading  all countries in giving brand opinions to friends; and in viewing brand names as more important than ever before. I’d say that today’s Indian consumer is perhaps the world’s most passionate and involved consumer.”

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